Method of manufacturing a welded tubular section using in-line notching and trimming initiated after roll-forming and welding

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing a tubular member for an automotive application that includes providing a flat workpiece of a material; forming at least one lance in the flat workpiece; roll-forming the flat workpiece into a tubular configuration; induction welding a seam of the tubular workpiece after the roll-forming; and trimming the tubular workpiece through the lance after welding the seam.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/180,539, filed on Jun. 16, 2015. The foregoingU.S. provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND

This application relates generally to the field of welded tubes for usein automobiles and other vehicles. More specifically, this applicationrelates to welded tubes and a process for manufacturing the welded tubeson a single assembly line to eliminate the need for secondaryoperations.

Tubes used for automotive applications (e.g., bumpers, frame members andother suitable load carrying members) typically require unique trimmingto add features (e.g., holes, slots, or other vehicle specific trimfeatures) for installing the tube and or other components to the tubeduring assembly of the vehicle. Formed tubes that are welded followingforming are trimmed off-line (i.e., not on the line performing theroll-forming) by way of one or more secondary operations (e.g.,machining, die forming, laser cutting, water cutting, plasma cutting,etc.) due to the loss of formability and weld quality when the tubeshave holes and other trimming features added prior to forming andwelding. These secondary operations are costly and time consuming.Therefore, a new process that can eliminate even a single off-linesecondary operation can reduce the cost and time to manufacture thetubes and provide a competitive advantage to the manufacturer.

SUMMARY

One embodiment of the application relates to a method/process ofmanufacturing a tubular member (e.g., tube, tubular section, etc.). Theprocess includes providing a flat workpiece of a material. The processalso includes forming at least one lance in the flat workpiece androll-forming the flat workpiece into a tubular configuration. Theprocess also includes induction welding a seam of the tubular workpiece,and trimming the tubular workpiece through the lance after welding.

The induction welding may be performed using a high frequency inductionwelder.

The process of forming the at least one lance in the flat workpiece mayalso include punching a locating hole in the workpiece. The process mayfurther include engaging the locating hole in the workpiece with alocator in the tooling prior to trimming the tubular workpiece throughthe lance.

The process of trimming the workpiece may be performed by a trimmingblade that moves horizontally to engage and disengage the workpiecethrough the lance. The tooling may include a support member that isconfigured to support a backside of the workpiece during the trimmingprocess. An end of the lance may be a through hole that extends througha wall of the workpiece.

The process may further include cutting the workpiece to a length via acutting blade that moves vertically. The trimming and the cutting may beperformed in the same station of the tooling.

Another embodiment relates to a method/process of manufacturing atubular member, which may be for an automotive application. The methodincludes providing a flat workpiece of a material; forming at least onelance in the flat workpiece; roll-forming the flat workpiece into atubular configuration; induction welding a seam of the tubular workpieceafter the roll-forming; and trimming the tubular workpiece through thelance after welding the seam.

Another embodiment relates to a method/process of manufacturing atubular member, which may be for an automotive application. The methodincludes providing a workpiece of a material. The method includesforming a lance in the workpiece and at least one through hole adjacentto an end of the lance. The method includes roll-forming the workpieceinto a generally rectangular tubular configuration. The method alsoincludes welding a seam of the tubular workpiece after the roll-forming;and trimming the tubular workpiece through the lance and the throughhole after welding the seam.

Yet another embodiment relates to method/process of manufacturing atubular member, which may be used for an automotive application. Themethod includes providing a workpiece of a material having a first sideedge and a second side edge opposite the first side edge. The methodincludes forming a lance in the workpiece; and roll-forming theworkpiece into a tubular configuration such that the first side edgefaces the second side edge with a gap therebetween. The method includeswelding a seam of the tubular workpiece after the roll-forming, wherethe seam is defined by the first side edge, the gap, and the second sideedge. The method also includes removing a section of the tubularworkpiece by trimming through the lance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an exemplary method/process ofmanufacturing a welded tube.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of assemblyequipment used in the manufacture of a welded tube.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of an exemplary embodiment ofa workpiece having a lance provided therein prior to the formation of awelded tube from the workpiece.

FIG. 4 is a detail view of the lance in a portion of the workpiece shownin FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first die-half for producing the lanceshown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second die-half for producing thelance shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of assembly equipment used to roll theworkpiece prior to welding.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of additional assembly equipment used toroll the workpiece prior to welding and used to weld a seam of therolled tube.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of additional assembly equipment used totrim and cut a welded tube.

FIG. 10 is a top view of an engineering drawing of the assemblyequipment shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a front view of an engineering drawing of the assemblyequipment shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a weldedtube prior to trimming and additional assembly equipment used to trimthe welded tube shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a weldedtube after trimming and cutting, along with the assembly equipment shownin FIG. 12 for trimming the tube.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a finishedtube produced by an exemplary method of this application, such as themethod shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a portion of the tube shown in FIG. 14and a portion of a welded tube produced by the same method, except priorto trimming and cutting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring generally to the FIGURES, disclosed herein are welded tubesand a process for manufacturing the welded tubes to include unique trimfeatures on a single assembly line. The process involves forming a lanceor shearing a portion of material partway through the thickness of thematerial in the flat workpiece prior to forming the workpiece into atubular shape. The lance allows forming, welding, and trimming in-line(i.e., on the single assembly line) without a loss in formability orweld quality. Thus, the manufacturing process advantageously eliminatesthe need for secondary operations, which are costly and time consuming.For example, the lance eliminates the need to trim the tube in anoff-line station post welding using an operation, such as machining, dieforming, laser cutting, water cutting, plasma cutting, and othersuitable secondary operations that might otherwise be employed to trim awelded tube off-line. The welded tubes formed by the process may be usedfor automotive applications, as well as for other applications, such asother vehicles. For example, the welded tubes may be used for bumpers,frame members, and other suitable load carrying members of vehicles.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a method/process ofmanufacturing a welded tube. As shown, the method 100 includes six steps(e.g., steps 101-106), and each step is described in more detail below.However, it should be noted that the method 100 may include a fewernumber or a greater number of steps, also described in more detailbelow.

The first step 101 involves providing a supply of a material (e.g.,steel) that serves as a workpiece and will be processed to form thefinished tube at the end of the process. As shown, the first step 101includes providing a coil of steel to serve as the material for theworkpiece. As shown in FIG. 2, the coil of steel is unrolled via in afirst station 111 of an assembly equipment (e.g., assembly line) to forma relatively flat workpiece 113 that is moved to a downstream processfor further forming. The thickness of the material depends on theapplication of the welded tube. As non-limiting examples, the thicknessof the material may be about 4.5 mm to about 5.2 mm (e.g., the term“about” is meant to denote that a standard material tolerance isapplicable). However, it is noted that thicker and thinner materials(compared to the range noted above) may be used with the processes ofthis application. It is noted that the supply of material may beprovided in other forms, such as rectangular blanks of material.However, utilizing a coil of material advantageously reduces the laborneeded to handle the material and allows for a continuous process,reducing time to build.

The second step 102 involves forming (e.g., blanking) a lance orshearing a portion of material partway through the thickness of thematerial in the flat workpiece via a subsequent (e.g., second) in-linestation of the assembly equipment. Accordingly, as used herein, the term“lance” denotes shearing (e.g., moving, punching) a portion (e.g.,section) of the workpiece partway through the thickness of the material,such that the sheared material is not detached completely from theworkpiece. Thus, the lanced material is not sheared all the way throughthe thickness of the workpiece, which would form a detached slug orseparate piece from the lance. According to an exemplary embodiment, atleast a substantial portion of the lanced material remains attached tothe adjacent portions of the workpiece. For example, the lanced portionincludes at least one edge (e.g., side, surface, etc.) that remainsdirectly connected to an adjacent non-lanced portion. The lanced portionmay include an edge that is cut (e.g., disconnected) from the non-lancedportion following the lancing process. As discussed below in greaterdetail, the lanced portion advantageously allows for forming and weldingof the workpiece without a loss in formability and weld quality duringdownstream in-line processes. When other processes were attempted, suchas, for example, punching a through hole entirely in place of the lancedportion (i.e., removing the portion entirely as a slug rather thanlancing it), the workpiece had a tendency to deform too much (e.g.,collapse) during roll-forming and/or have weld quality issues with theseam weld.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a lance 120 formedin the workpiece 113. As shown, the lance 120 includes a first end 121,a second end 122, and an intermediate section 123 (e.g., intermediateportion) extending between the first and second ends 121, 122. The lance120 may be formed offset from a side edge 114 of the workpiece 113 (seeFIG. 3), such that that the lance 120 does not extend all the way to theside edge. According to an exemplary embodiment, at least a portion(e.g., the intermediate section 123) of the lance 120 is located in aregion of the workpiece 113 that after further processing (e.g.,roll-forming) may be a side of a tube (see FIG. 15 and the discussionthereof below). A portion of the periphery of the lance 120 issurrounded by adjacent material of the workpeice 113. According to anexemplary embodiment, the entire periphery of the lance 120 issurrounded by material (e.g., adjacent material of the workpiece 113).

The intermediate section 123 of the lance 120 is elongated in shapehaving a length that is substantially greater than a width of theintermediate section 123. According to an exemplary embodiment, a ratioof the length to the width of the intermediate section 123 is greaterthan 10:1. According to another exemplary embodiment, the ratio of thelength to the width of the intermediate section 123 is greater than20:1. It is noted that the ratio of length to width can be differentthan the examples disclosed, since the length/width can be tailored tothe specific application.

The intermediate section 123 includes at least one edge that is directlyconnected to an adjacent non-lanced portion. For example, a first edge125 may be directly connected to the adjacent non-lanced portion 115 ofthe workpiece 113. Also for example, a second edge 126 may be directlyconnected to the adjacent non-lanced portion 116 of the workpiece 113.According to yet another example, both the first and second edges 125,126 are directly connected to the associated adjacent non-lancedportions 115, 116. The intermediate section 123 may also include atleast one edge that is cut (e.g., disconnected) from the adjacentnon-lanced portion. For example, one of the first and second edges 125,126 may cut from the adjacent non-lanced portion and the other mayremain directly connected to the adjacent non-lanced portion.

The intermediate section 123 of the lance 120 is offset by a depth(i.e., in the direction of the thickness of the workpiece) from theadjacent non-lanced portions 115, 116 of the workpiece 113. In otherwords, the mass of the intermediate section 123 is retained, but shifted(e.g., moved) in a direction of the thickness of the workpiece 113. Asshown in FIG. 4, the intermediate section 123 has an exterior surface127 (which may be located between the first and second edges 125, 126)that is recessed into the workpiece 113. Thus, the exterior surface 127is provided at a different depth relative to an exterior surface 117 ofthe adjacent non-lanced portion 115 defining a channel (e.g., a groove)into the workpiece 113.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each end 121, 122 of the lance 120 has agenerally J-shape (e.g., a J-shape, a backwards J-shape, etc.) andextends from a side of the intermediate section 123. However, each endmay have other suitable shapes (e.g., rectangular, slotted, etc.). Thefirst end 121 of the lance 120 may extend from a first side of theintermediate section 123, and the second end 122 of the lance 120 mayextend from a second side of the intermediate section 123. Each end 121,122 may have a length that is shorter than the length of theintermediate section 123. According to an exemplary embodiment, a ratioof the length of the intermediate section 123 to the length of an end121, 122 is greater than 8:1. According to another exemplary embodiment,the ratio of the length of the intermediate section 123 to the length ofan end 121, 122 is greater than 12:1. It is noted that the ratio oflengths can be different than the examples disclosed, since the lengthscan be tailored to the specific application.

A portion of the lance 120 may be configured as a through-hole (i.e., ahole that extends through the entire thickness of the workpiece in thatportion). For example, each end 121, 122 may be configured as athrough-hole. Alternatively, a portion of each end 121, 122 may beconfigured as a through-hole. For these examples, the size (e.g., mass,volume, etc.) of the through hole of the lance 120 is relatively smallcompared to the overall mass of the lance 120, since at least asubstantial amount of the mass of the lance 120 is moved and retainedwith the workpiece. The lance 120 may be configured not to have athrough-hole at all, such as where the entire lance 120 is offset indepth compared to the adjacent non-lanced portions.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of tooling 130 used inthe manufacturing equipment (e.g., an in-line press) that is configuredto form the lance 120 in the workpiece 113. As shown, the tooling 130includes a punch 131 (FIG. 6) and a die 132 (FIG. 5) that are matinghalves. At least one of the punch 131 and the die 132 is configured tomove relative to the other between an open and a closed position to formthe lance 120 in the workpiece 113 located between the two die halves.The punch 131 is configured having the shape of the lance in theworkpiece. The die 132 has an opening that is shaped to receive thepunch 131. As shown in FIG. 5, the depth of the ends 133, 134 of theopening in the die 132 are deeper than the depth of the intermediatesection 135 of the opening, which is provided between the ends 133, 134.This difference is to account for the difference in depth between theends 136, 137 of the punch 131 and the intermediate section 138 of thepunch 131, as shown in FIG. 6, that forms, for example, the offsetintermediate section 123 in the lance 120 and the through-holes 121,122.Thus, the ends 136, 137 of the punch 131 may extend farther than theintermediate section 138 of the punch 131, such that the ends 136, 137make through (e.g., clearance) holes in the workpiece 113 and theintermediate section 138 does not form a through hole, but instead formsthe channel by moving material.

The third step 103 involves forming the tube shape from the flatworkpiece 113 having the lance 120 by passing the flat workpiece throughone or more roll-formers (e.g., rollers). As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, theassembly equipment includes a plurality of roll-formers 139 arranged inseries, with each successive roll-former 139 configured to deform theworkpiece 113 progressively closer to the tube shape from the previousroll-former 139. As shown in FIG. 8, the roll-formers 139 are configuredto converge the first side edge 114 a and the second side edge 114 b toform a V-angle between the side edges of the workpiece 113. Thus, thefirst and second side edges 114 a, 114 b are moved closer together asthe workpiece 113 moves downstream through each successive roll-former139. The first and second side edges 114 a, 114 b are brought into closeproximity and may contact one another along a seam that is configured tobe welded in the fourth step. Bringing the side edges 114 a, 114 b intocontact may advantageously improve the weld quality.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the roll-forming reshapes theworkpiece 113, such as from a generally flat workpiece 113 into atubular workpiece (i.e., a workpiece that has a generally tubularshape). By way of examples, the tubular workpiece may have a generallyrectangular shape (the term “generally rectangular” denotes that theshape could be, for example, a rectangular, square, a rectangular withrounded corners, a square with rounded corners or other shapes thatresemble a rectangular shape), a generally circular shape, or othersuitable tubular shape after reshaping.

The fourth step 104 involves welding the workpiece 113 along the seamformed between the side edges 114 a, 114 b. According to an exemplaryembodiment, a high frequency induction welder (HFIW) is used to weld theseam of the workpiece 113. The HFIW provides high frequency energy thatinduces a magnetic field to weld the workpiece 113 through eddy currentsproduced by way of electromagnetic induction. The energy produced by theHFIW advantageously seeks out the contact point between the side edges(i.e., where edges defining the V-angle meet) and/or may direct theenergy away from the lance 120. Moreover, the lance 120 allows the HFIWto maintain a relatively constant magnetic field due to the lanceretaining the mass of material in the lanced section, whichadvantageously provides a more constant weld and increases the weldquality of the workpiece. That is, an HFIW can be sensitive to changesin mass in the workpiece, since such changes in mass affect the magneticfield and the eddy currents produced. By moving and retaining thematerial (rather than removing the material) when forming the lance 120,a good quality weld is formed in the lance 120, since the mass remainsrelatively constant from the non-lanced sections to the lanced area.

It has been found that removing the mass in the area of the lance 120,such as if a hole were stamped (e.g., punched through to form a hole oraperture) in the area instead, adversely affects the ability to weld theseam to the point that HFIW can no longer provide a usable weld (e.g., aweld that is both repeatable and provides the necessary strength anddurability requirements). The loss of mass and material by a throughhole in the area of the lance 120 (e.g., in place of the lance 120)leads to a loss of induction and a reduction of heat during welding,which adversely affects the quality of the weld.

It has also been found that the quality of the weld is not adverselyaffected if a relatively small portion of the lanced area includes athrough-hole, such as the ends 121, 122 of the lance 120, since enoughmass is retained in the lance 120 (e.g., through the intermediatesection 123) to produce an adequate magnetic field. According to anotherexemplary embodiment, a laser welder may be used (in place of the HFIW)to weld the seam of the workpiece 113. The laser welder may, forexample, apply a beam of high power energy to the outside of the seam toweld the seam by penetrating a depth into the workpiece.

As shown in FIG. 8, an HFIW 140 is located downstream of the lastroll-former 139. As the workpiece 113 is moved downstream, the HFIW 140continuously welds the seam to provide a continuously welded seam on theworkpiece 113. In other words, the HFIW 140 welds the seam between theside edges 114 a, 114 b in a continuous manner, such that there is nogap in the weld bead.

After welding, the workpiece 113 may be passed through one or moreoptional post-welding processes before being cut and trimmed. It isnoted that each of the optional post-welding processes would be providedin-line in the same assembly equipment (i.e., in the single assemblyline between the welding and trimming stations), rather than as anoff-line operation. The fifth step 105 involves these one or moreoptional in-line post-welding processes. Therefore, the fifth step 105is optional altogether. One example of a post-welding process involvespushing together the sides of the tube until the weld is cooled. As anexample, a squeeze box assembly may be provided in line following thewelding station (e.g., the HFIW 140), and the squeeze box assembly maybe configured to apply a compression force to the sides of the tube tomaintain contact between the side edges 114 a, 114 b until the weld iscooled.

Another example of an in-line post-welding process involves quenchingthe weld. Thus, the fifth step may involve quenching the weld via afluid. The fluid may be a gas, such as air, or a liquid, such as water,oil, coolant, or any suitable combination thereof. For example, amixture of water and coolant in a ratio of about 97:3, respectively, maybe used as the quenching fluid (where the term “about” means±2 for eachconstituent). It is noted that other suitable fluids may be used toquench the seam weld of the workpiece 113.

Another example of an in-line post-welding process involves scarfing theworkpiece 113. The workpiece 113 may be passed through a scarfing toollocated downstream of the welding station to remove excess weld on a topsurface of the workpiece 113 (e.g., an outer surface of the weld seam).For example, the scarfing tool may be configured to remove a portion ofthe weld bead that protrudes outwardly from the seam.

Another example of an in-line post-welding process involves a resizingoperation of the workpiece 113. The workpiece 113 may be passed throughan operation to ensure the size of the outer periphery (e.g., profile)of the tube is within the specified tolerances, an operation to removeany twist (e.g., rotation of a section of the tube about a longitudinalaxis of the tube relative to another section of the tube) from theworkpiece 113, a combination of these operations, or any additionalsuitable operations.

The sixth step 106 involves trimming and cutting the workpiece 113 toproduce a final part (e.g., a finished tube). FIGS. 9-13 illustrate anexemplary embodiment of a tooling 150 configured to cut and/or trim theworkpiece 113. The tooling 150 includes a cutting assembly 151 that isconfigured to cut the workpiece 113 to a specific length. According toan exemplary embodiment, the cutting assembly 151 includes a cuttingblade 152 and a pressurized cylinder (e.g., hydraulic, pneumatic, etc.)that is configured to move the cutting blade 152 between a firstposition, in which the cutting blade 152 does not engage the workpiece113, and a second position, in which the cutting blade 152 engages theworkpiece 113 to cut the workpiece 113. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, thecylinder is vertically aligned, such that the cutting blade 152 is movedvertically (up and down) between the first and second positions. Thecutting blade 152 may be moved to trim two ends, such as one end of eachof two adjacent tubes, in a single cycle.

The tooling 150 also includes a trimming assembly 153 that is configuredto trim the workpiece 113 at the lance 120. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13,the trimming assembly 153 includes a trimming blade 154 and a supportmember 156 that is configured to support (e.g., back-up) the workpiece113 when the trimming blade 154 trims the workpiece 113. As shown inFIGS. 10 and 11, the trimming assembly 153 includes a pressurizedcylinder (e.g., hydraulic, pneumatic, etc.) that is configured to movethe trimming blade 154 between a first position, in which the trimmingblade 154 does not engage the workpiece 113, and a second position, inwhich the trimming blade 154 engages the workpiece 113 to trim theworkpiece 113. As shown, the cylinder is horizontally aligned, such thatthe trimming blade 154 is moved horizontally (side to side) between thefirst and second positions. The trimming blade 154 may be moved to trimone end of each of two adjacent tubes in each cycle.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the trimming blade 154 includes a first(e.g., left-hand) side 154 a and a second (e.g., right-hand) side 154 b,where the second side 154 b is configured to trim a leading end of afirst tube and the first side 154 a is configured to trim a trailing endof a second tube. Thus, the trimming blade 154 is configured to trim oneend of two different tubes during each cycle. For purposes of thisapplication, the terms “leading” (e.g., leading end) and “trailing”(e.g., trailing end) are relative to the direction of movement of theworkpiece. Thus, the leading end is the end that leads (e.g., is forwardof) the trailing end while the workpiece moves along the assemblyequipment, and the trailing end is the end that follows (e.g., isrearward of) the leading end as the workpiece moves through the assemblyequipment.

Each side 154 a, 154 b of the trimming blade 154 is configured having atrimming edge or trimming surface, shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 as thesurface 155, that is configured to first contact the workpiece 113 andinitiate the trimming process. Each side 154 a, 154 b of the trimmingblade 154 may be configured to increase in size (e.g., cross-section,height, etc.) moving from the trimming edge/surface away from theworkpiece. For example, each side 154 a, 154 b may be generally wedgeshaped. The sides 154 a, 154 b of the trimming blade 154 may be alignedat an angle relative to one another. For example, each surface 155 ofeach side 154 a, 154 b may be aligned at an angle relative to theworkpiece 113 (and/or relative to the other surface 155). As shown, theadjacent surfaces 155 of the sides 154 a, 154 b form a flattened V-shapewhen viewed from above. This configuration may advantageously reduce theforce required by the trimming assembly 153 to trim the workpiece 113,since a relatively small portion of the lance 120 is being trimmed atany given time, since the trimming blade 154 moves in a continuouslyprogressive manner. Stated differently, only a relatively small portionof the surface 155 contacts the workpiece 113 at any given time, so theforce to trim the workpiece is reduced. Thus, the trimming blade 154 maybe configured to be parallel to the workpiece 113, but the entiresurface 155 would come into contact with the workpiece at the same time,which would increase the force required to trim the workpiece (and alsoincrease the size and power of the cylinder required to move thetrimming blade 154).

The support member 156 is configured to support a backside (e.g., theside opposite the side that is trimmed by the trimming blade 154) of theworkpiece 113 when the trimming blade 154 trims the workpiece 113. Thus,the support member 156 limits movement of the workpiece 113 in thedirection of cutting (i.e., toward the support member 156) to allow thetrimming blade 154 to trim the workpiece 113. As shown in FIGS. 12 and13, the support member 156 includes a first part 156 a that isconfigured to support the backside of the portion of the tube that isbeing trimmed by the first side 154 a of the trimming blade 154, andalso includes a second part 156 b that is configured to support thebackside of the portion of the tube that is being trimmed by the secondside 154 b of the trimming blade 154.

The lance 120 advantageously allows the workpiece 113 to be trimmedin-line (i.e., in the same assembly line/equipment and not via anoff-line or secondary process) without distorting or bending the shapeof the tubular workpiece 113, such as the ends of the workpiece 113 thatare being trimmed. Since, the workpiece 113 moves progressively down theline (of the assembly equipment), it would be impractical to support theinside surface of the side of the tube that has the lance (e.g., theentry side of the horizontal trimming blade 154). Thus, the lance 120 isable to eliminate the need of a support on the inside surface of theside of the workpiece that has the lance. The lance 120 also eliminatesthe need for any secondary (i.e., off-line) processes to trim the tube.

The tooling 150 may include a locator 158 that engages the workpiece 113to provide for repeatable and accurate trimming of the workpiece. Asshown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the locator 158 is configured to move into andout of engagement with an opening (e.g., hole, aperture, etc.) in theworkpiece 113 to ensure proper orientation (e.g., alignment) of theworkpiece relative to the tooling 150. Thus, the locator 158 serves as apositive mechanical locating feature that engages an opening in eachtube to ensure that the correct portions of the workpiece 113 aretrimmed and cut. To further enhance the accuracy of the cutting andtrimming, the opening (in the workpiece) that the locator 158 engages ispunched (in the workpiece) in the same operation as the lance 120 toensure the relative spacing between the opening and the lance 120 isrepeatable and accurate.

FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a welded tube 213(e.g., workpiece) produced by the exemplary method provided above. Thetube 213 is hollow and has a generally rectangular or square shape.However, according to other examples, the tube can have other shapes. Asshown in FIG. 14, the tube 213 includes a first end 215, a second end217 opposite the first end 215, and an intermediate section 219extending between the two ends 215, 217. A weld seam 221 extends thelength of the tube (pre-trimming of the ends), but end portions of theweld seam 221 are trimmed off with the ends 215, 217.

FIG. 15 illustrates a portion of the welded tube 213 of FIG. 14 and aportion of a welded tube 313 produced by the same method, except priorto trimming of the lance 320 and cutting to length. The lance 320 of thetube 313 includes a first end 321, a second end 322, and an intermediatesection 323 extending between the ends 321, 322. As shown, the lance 320is configured the same as the lance 120 of the workpiece 113. However,the lance 320 may be configured similar to or different than the lance120, according to other examples. As shown, the lance 320 is disposed ina wall 315 (e.g., side wall) that is adjacent to a wall 317 thatincludes the weld seam 221. Also shown in FIG. 15, following thetrimming of each end of the tube through the lance 320, each end of thetube (e.g., ends 215, 217) includes a notch 214 that removes a portionof the wall having the weld seam 221, as well as a portion of eachadjacent wall. Thus, each end of the tube 213 has a generally C-shapedor U-shape cross-section rather than a closed tubular cross-section likethe intermediate section 219 of the tube 213.

The process for manufacturing the welded tubes, as disclosed herein,advantageously produces a welded tube that includes unique trim featureson a single assembly line (i.e., without the need for any secondary oroff-line operations). By shearing a portion of material partway throughthe thickness of the material in the flat workpiece prior to forming theworkpiece, the lance or sheared portion allows for forming the flatworkpiece into a shape, such as a tube, without formability issues andallows for welding of a seam (after forming) by way of induction welding(e.g., HFIW) without weld quality issues. The process reduces the costand the time required to manufacture the tubes by eliminating secondaryoperations that would otherwise be employed to finish the tube.

As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially”,and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony withthe common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art towhich the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should beunderstood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure thatthese terms are intended to allow a description of certain featuresdescribed and claimed without restricting the scope of these features tothe precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms shouldbe interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequentialmodifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimedare considered to be within the scope of the invention as recited in theappended claims.

The terms “coupled,” “connected,” and the like, as used herein, mean thejoining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Suchjoining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or moveable (e.g., removableor releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members or thetwo members and any additional intermediate members being integrallyformed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two membersor the two members and any additional intermediate members beingattached to one another.

References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,”“above,” “below,” etc.) are merely used to describe the orientation ofvarious elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientationof various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments,and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the presentdisclosure.

The construction and arrangement of the elements of the welded tubes andprocesses for manufacturing the tubes, as shown in the exemplaryembodiments herein, are illustrative only. Although only a fewembodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail,those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readilyappreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations insizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the variouselements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials,colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novelteachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example,elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple partsor elements, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwisevaried, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions maybe altered or varied.

Additionally, the word “exemplary” is used to mean serving as anexample, instance, or illustration. Any embodiment or design describedherein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred oradvantageous over other embodiments or designs (and such term is notintended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinaryor superlative examples). Rather, use of the word “exemplary” isintended to present concepts in a concrete manner. Accordingly, all suchmodifications are intended to be included within the scope of thepresent disclosure. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, andomissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, andarrangement of the preferred and other exemplary embodiments withoutdeparting from the scope of the appended claims.

Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may also bemade in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the variousexemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the presentinvention. For example, any element (e.g., lance, notch, weld, etc.)disclosed in one embodiment may be incorporated or utilized with anyother embodiment disclosed herein. Also, for example, the order orsequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequencedaccording to alternative embodiments. Any means-plus-function clause isintended to cover the structures described herein as performing therecited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalentstructures. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissionsmay be made in the design, operating configuration, and arrangement ofthe preferred and other exemplary embodiments without departing from thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacturing a tubular member for anautomotive application, the method comprising: providing a workpiece ofa material; forming a lance in the workpiece and at least one throughhole adjacent to an end of the lance; roll-forming the workpiece into agenerally rectangular tubular configuration; welding a seam of thetubular workpiece after the roll-forming; and trimming the tubularworkpiece through the lance and the through hole after welding the seam;wherein a first through hole of the at least one through hole isdirectly connected to the end of the lance.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein a thickness of the material is between 4.5 and 5.2 millimeters.3. The method of claim 1, further comprising quenching the welded seamusing a mixture of water coolant in a ratio of 97:3.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, wherein welding the seam of the tubular workpiece after theroll-forming comprises welding the seam using induction welding.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising cutting the tubular workpiece to apredetermined length using a cutting blade that moves in an up and downdirection, wherein the trimming of the tubular workpiece is performedusing a trimming blade that moves in a side to side direction.
 6. Themethod of claim 5, wherein the trimming and the cutting are performed ina common station of a tooling.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein thelance has an elongated shape having a ratio of a length to a width thatis greater than 10:1.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the ratio of thelength to the width is greater than 20:1.
 9. The method of claim 1,wherein the lance comprises: a first side directly connected to a firstadjacent non-lanced portion of the workpiece; and a second side directlyconnected to a second adjacent non-lanced portion of the workpiece. 10.The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second sides are onopposite sides of the lance.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein thelance comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end isadjacent to the first through hole of the at least one through hole, andthe second end is adjacent to a second through hole of the at least onethrough hole.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the first andsecond sides are located along a length of the lance, and each of thefirst and second ends are located along a width of the lance.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the lance has an elongated shape having aratio of the length to the width that is greater than 10:1.
 14. Themethod of claim 10, wherein each of the first and second through holeshas a J-shape.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the lance inthe workpiece also includes punching a locating hole in the workpiece,the locating hole being engaged by a locator in a tooling prior totrimming the tubular workpiece through the lance.
 16. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising providing a support member of the toolingfor supporting a backside of the workpiece during the trimming process,wherein the trimming blade moves in an orthogonal direction relative toa longitudinal direction of the workpiece to engage and disengage thelance of the tubular workpiece.
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein thelance is directly connected to adjacent material of the workpiece thatis non-lanced around an entire periphery of the lance except for the atleast one through hole.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein roll-formingthe workpiece into a generally rectangular tubular configurationcomprises roll-forming the workpiece such that a first side edge faces asecond side edge with a gap therebetween, and wherein the seam isdefined by the first side edge, the gap, and the second side edge. 19.The method of claim 18, wherein trimming the tubular workpiece comprisescutting the tubular workpiece through the lance and the at least onethrough hole to divide the tubular workpiece into two tubular membershaving symmetrically opposite configurations, such that the each tubularmember has part of the removed section at an end of the tubular member.